Word Prompt – ETROG – Anat Coleman

Growing up in the UK, the Crown Jewels represented the ultimate in precious objects. Kept safely under guard in the Tower of London, they were brought out only for the most important royal occasions, and worn by only one or two people. They were beautiful, valuable, and treated with extraordinary care.

Each Sukkot, I’m reminded of them when I see the etrog encased in its special box.

We inspect an etrog from every angle, searching for the smallest blemish. We admire its shape and color, then carefully return it to its protective wrapping. For one week, this small yellow fruit is treated almost like our own crown jewel.

But unlike the Crown Jewels, the etrog is precious not because it is kept apart or reserved for a privileged few, but because it is meant to be held and used. We take it in our own hands, together with the other three species, each different from the others, and use them together to perform a mitzvah.

The Crown Jewels derive some of their value from how few people ever touch them. The etrog is the opposite. Its value lies not behind glass, but in our hands – not in being kept apart, but in being used.